Their Passion
by Miramichi
Summary: "Sesshomaru, I'm in love ... with someone else." Sesshomaru had never concerned himself over what others though of him; after all, he always had Kagome, his best ... friend? What will a few pictures tell about their story and passions.
1. Her Passion

"Sesshomaru, I'm in love."

Freezing at the words, Sesshomaru slowly turned away from the files he had brought home from the office; giving his girlfriend his full attention.

"Sesshomaru, I'm in love… with someone else." She hedged while fiddling with the edge of her shirt.

"Well…" Sesshomaru wasn't quite sure what to say. He and Kagura had been dating for over a year and were living together so this announcement was certainly not something he had anticipated when he got up that morning. Yet, as she said the words, he found that he didn't really mind that she was leaving him. Their relationship was more based on mutual respect than it was on love. So he gave her a polite smile. "I'm happy for you, he is a lucky man."

"Yes. Yes he is." Kagura's voice seemed slightly more strained Sesshomaru noticed.

"Is there something wrong, Kagura?"

"No. It's nothing." She said quickly but her voice was wet. "I'll send for my things later this week."

"That's fine." He said nodding. There was an awkward pause before Kagura turned and walked out of his office and apartment.

Shrugging, Sesshomaru returned to the work in front of him; it had to be finished by Friday and he would be damned if he missed his lunch with Kagome because he didn't have it done. Almost as if the thought summoned the girl, a loud bang and shouted greeting alerted him to her entering his apartment. He didn't even turn when he heard her launch herself onto the comfortable couch in his office.

"Heeeey!" She wined, "Don't ignore me!"

Realizing that there would be no work getting done until she was gone, he turned to find her creating a nest out of the couch pillows and raised a silver brow at her antics. By the time she had finished, all that could be seen of his best friends face was her eyes poking out from under a blanket.

"What do you want today?" He said as he moved to sit next to her nest but was halted when a rubber band shot him between his eyes. She blinked owlishly at him, the picture of innocence. Amber eyes narrowed in challenge and he started forward again. This time when she shot the rubber band he caught it. Smirking in triumph he completely missed the second attack which followed quickly on the heels of the first, once again feeling the sting of a rubber band meeting his forehead.

He pounced on her and her nest with a snarl, her shriek of delight ringing in his ears. After a small struggle he was able to restrain her by rolling her up like sushi in one of the blankets before sitting on her for good measure.

"Ugh." Kagome groaned from under his weight.

"Now, as I was saying, what did you need from me?" A strong undertone of smugness in his voice.

"What, I can't visit my friend who I haven't seen in over two weeks?" She grumbled.

"Not when he is trying to finish his work so he can hang out with you Friday."

"Aww, were you really?"

"Hnn."

"That's so sweet of you, Sesshomaru!" She wheezed, "Though, I wouldn't be opposed to you getting off of me either."

"No can do."

"And why not?"

"This is your punishment."

"Oh come on, don't be a child." She said as she wriggled, trying to make her escape. "I won fair and square."

"I believe victory is mine as I am the one sitting on you right now." He poked her cheek for good measure, just to show her that he could. Growling, Kagome tried to bite his finger, only getting an amused chuckle out of him.

"I saw Kagura on my way up, she seemed pretty upset about something?" Kagome mentioned as she once again began her great wiggle to freedom; the blanket was making her really hot! "You guys ok?" He didn't answer. "Sesshomaru?"

"She said that she had fallen in love with someone else."

"What!" Kagome exclaimed, "That's impossible, this is Kagura we're talking about; the girl is mad for you! There's no way she fell in love with someone else." Sesshomaru just shrugged.

"That's what she told me."

"Well what did you say?" Kagome interrogated while Sesshomaru sighed in exasperation.

"I said that I was happy for her."

"Did she look upset?"

"Why would she be upset? She was the one who broke up with me." He paused remembering her fiddling with her shirt and the way her voice seemed anxious. "Though she did seem a little nervous and she left rather quickly after."

"Did she ever say that she was breaking up with you?" Kagome hedged.

"Well…no. But I think that was implied when she said that she loved someone else." He said as he shot Kagome a look which obviously said that she was simple minded for not having come to the same conclusion.

"You…IDIOT!" Sesshomaru almost fell off his comfortable seat on Kagome he was so startled by her outburst. "She had been in love with you from the first time she saw you and you have been living together for over a year! She was testing to see if you cared for her the same way she did you."

"Then why would she say she loved someone else? That doesn't make any sense!"

"She wanted to see if you would stop her." Sesshomaru sighed deeply.

"Women are so confusing." He muttered.

"Hnn." Kagome hummed, clearly mocking him. He narrowed his eyes down at her before moving so that he was lounging on the Kagome sushi roll; his back against hers, having been rolled so she was lying on her stomach. "You are the worst."

"Indeed, I am the great Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western lands." He said grinning savagely at the celling. Kagome blushed at the reference to their childhood games of demon and miko.

"I am so going to tell your dad when I get out of here!" Kagome threatened as she began a new technique: rolling from side to side. It failed miserably. "You know," she said as she turned the conversation back to his relationship status, "your dad is not going to be happy about your break up. He was really hoping you would settle down and ask Kagura to marry you."

"I am aware." Sesshomaru grimaced, "The old dog called me at least once a week with potential baby names."

"Ugh."

"Indeed."

"So how do you feel about this whole breakup?" Kagome asked hesitantly after a brief pause; she knew he did not like to discuss his emotions and she respected his privacy with that. To her surprise he answered her.

"I don't really care that she's gone. It's not like I loved her or anything, it was just comfortable; I knew where I stood with her." He paused, "Or at least I thought I did."

"So I don't need to go get you a tub of Ben and Jerry's?"

"No."

"Aww, but I wanted some." She grumbled.

"You are in no position to be making demands." He reached around and pinched her side causing her to jump in surprise.

"Sesshomaru, I will destroy you!" She said as she tried to turn and bite him. He chucked, amused, and proceeded to poke her forehead, nose, and cheek.

"Sure you will."

"One hundred seventy three, one hundred seventy four, one hundred sev-"

"SESSHOMARU!" His father yelled as he banged the apartment door open. "What the hell have you been doing?" His son was sitting upside-down in an armchair so that his legs rested against the back of the chair and his head hung off the seat, his eyes watching the opposite wall from his inverted perspective.

"Hn. Counting the number of bricks on the wall. Though you distracted me so I will have to start again." He deadpanned, "One, two, thr-"

"That's not what I meant." Though Taisho couldn't help but wonder at his son's strange habits. "I was referring to what actions you have been taking to win back Kagura."

There was a long pause between the two men. "One, two, three-"

His father's long strides easily ate the distance between them as he advanced on his son. Though when he went to knock some sense into him, Sesshomaru flipped his legs over his head and rolled so that he was standing facing his father.

"I am no longer interested in her. I don't think I have been for some time." Sesshomaru told his father seriously. Taisho continued to look at his son sternly before sighing and collapsing into the now occupied chair, his head between his hands.

"I'm concerned for you, Sesshomaru." Taisho could practically feel the disgusted look his son was giving him. "It seems like you are just running in circles. A girl asks you out, if she is good looking and intelligent enough you agree, and sometimes you start seeing the girl more permanently. But every single time you just let them walk out of your life."

"That is enough, father." Sesshomaru's voice was frosty even as his father continued.

"I've never seen you kiss your girlfriend in public let alone hold her hand."

"Father."

"You don't develop any feelings of attachment and there is never any passion between you and your lovers. Relationships are supposed to be passionate, Sesshomaru; spontaneous and filled with stolen moments. Did you love any of them, Sesshomaru? Are you even capable of loving someone?"

As Taisho's face was buried in his hands he did not see the punch coming and was effectively knocked out of the chair. Touching the place Sesshomaru had hit him he realized just how horrible the things he said were. Sure Sesshomaru was difficult and rarely took an interest in things outside of work, he was still his son and it was wrong of him to say such things. His apology at his lips, he looked at his son and the words died before they could be spoken. Sesshomaru wasn't even looking at him; the pain in his eyes contradicting the hard set of his jaw.

Though Sesshomaru was incredibly strong both physically and mentally, he was aware that the boy had always struggled to relate with people and was self-conscious about it. His words had truly hit where his son was weakest and knew that any words of apology would fall on deaf ears. Taisho considered leaving but quickly decided against it; it would not do to part on such a sour note. So after a few moments of silence he tried to ask about something he thought Sesshomaru would be interested in.

"I heard that the jury convicted that serial killer you were prosecuting. Congratulations." He was met with silence. "Um, that little girl, Rin, is doing very well at the foster home Izayoi found for her. Her new parents thing that she is a joy and are very grateful that you put her parents killers behind bars." A slight nod was the only response given to him. Taisho cursed, he had though that would have at least gotten a 'hn' out of his son. "Kagome's boyfriend is in town." Sesshomaru began to nod before he realized just what his father had said, his head snapping around in disbelief.

"That monster was able to find someone willing to date her without any form of blackmail or alcohol involved?" He words dripped with disbelief.

"Yes, _Kagome_ was able to get a boyfriend without using force." Taisho frowned at his son's lack of confidence in his best friend. "From what she told me, she was practically beating him off with a stick before he finally convinced her to give them a shot. Apparently it went quite well. She didn't tell you any of this? They have been seeing each other for quite some time."

"No… Must have slipped her mind."

Kagome squirmed uncomfortably in her seat hiding behind her menu as her longtime friend sent her scathing looks from over his. She was not quite sure what she had done yet, but if his raised eyebrow had anything to say about it – and it so often did – she was in deep shit.

After they had ordered and the waiter took her shield she zipped up her jacked until it covered her mouth and nose, her eyes peeking out. It was something she often did when she felt she would need protection, Sesshomaru realized thinking she looked similar to a turtle with her head peeking out the way it was.

"Is there something you are concerned about?" he asked in a calm placating voice, she had been jumpy since seeing him outside the café they usually frequented on Fridays. Her eyes widened before in shock before she slipped deeper into her jacket; eyes narrowed.

"Suspicious." She mumbled to herself.

"What is."

"Hn." Sesshomaru twitched; irked at her once again mocking him.

"I'm suspicious?"

"Hn."

"Why am I suspicious?"

"You asked if there was something bothering me when you are clearly the reason." She said as she grabbed up her chopsticks to use in defense if needed. "You are upset with me about something."

"I am." He admitted easily, "You're keeping secrets."

"I'm what?" she asked shocked as her head popped out of the jacket, "I don't know of any secrets unless…" She trailed off and Sesshomaru leaned back satisfied; preparing to hear the whole story about her boyfriend. "Unless you found out about the time when Inuyasha and covered your school uniform with catnip, which was definitely his idea!" Kagome finished with a flourish happy to have gotten that off her shoulders. However, going by the smile on Sesshomaru's face she needed to run and she needed to have started yesterday.

The day he was attacked by all the neighborhood cats while walking to school was one of the worst experiences of his adolescent years. He had been running late and strangely enough Inuyasha had left early that morning. Kagome was also missing at their usual meeting point to walk to school, which was strange because she was just as bad – if not worse – than Inuyasha. When he heard the first mew of a cat, he didn't think much of it. When he heard the fortieth, he panicked. There were claws everywhere and no matter how fast he ran they were always a step ahead of him. Being cats, they incredibly nimble and began dropping from trees and walls.

By the time he had reached the school his uniform was in shreds along with his pride and reputation. He was given a new uniform and sent to class after being patched up by the nurse, but he had never gotten over his hatred of cats since that day. He had also never found out the reason why the cats were attacking him either. He smiled a beaming smile at Kagome.

He was going to tear her apart.

"I see that was not the secret you were referring to… haha…ha." He slowly pushed back his chair, the feet screeching against the tiled floor. "SHIT!" She screamed as she dashed out of the establishment, Sesshomaru hot on her heels.

The waiter came around the corner with their food but the customers were missing. Turning to the manager he asked where they had disappeared to. Miroku just shook his head at his two friends.

"They… left. I'll just put it on their tab." The waiter nodded and brought the food back to the kitchen. "Seriously, those two never quit."

"Meh, it's what we come here for anyway." A construction worker joked as he took a sip from his steaming mug of coffee. "Having lunch here on Fridays has become a source of great interest for us locals. There's even a betting pool on what people think will happen."

"Oh?" Miroku asked surprised and wondered what his friends would think if they ever found out they were the subjects of a city wide betting pool. It probably wouldn't go over well. "What do people usually bet on?"

"How long they will actually stay, who is in the doghouse with the other, when they will hook up-"

"Wait, what? Hook up? Sesshomaru and Kagome?" the man nodded, "That's crazy! They have been friends since birth; if they were going to get together they would have done it by now."

"Well you never know… maybe they just need the right push."

Sesshomaru had chased Kagome four blocks, up and down a parking structure, and through a shopping center before finally catching her before she tried losing him in a play structure at a children's park. They were both breathing hard on their backs; her held tightly, _very tightly_ , by him so there was no chance for her to escape.

"You…are…in…so…much…trouble!" he panted.

"It…was…Inuyasha's…idea." She replied.

"I…don't…care!"

"I'll…pay…for…lunch." She bribed.

"Don't…even…try…to…get…out…of…this!" Kagome wined and decided to focus on catching her breath so she could escape sooner. His hold tightened even more as if he could read her thoughts.

"I leave my camera and equipment to my dear brother, he will use them well. My secret snack collection will go to Inuya- wait no! He's responsible! He's getting nothing from me. You're going to have to take care of my new puppy Sesshomaru. He's not really a people person either, you two would get along well." Kagome said after finally having enough air in her lungs to form a coherent sentence.

"What are you rambling on about now?" Sesshomaru sighed.

"My will of course. With my impending death I thought it only proper to make one."

"Oh I'm not going to kill you." Sesshomaru said lightly.

"Really! You're the best, Sesshomaru! I knew you would underst-"

"I'm going to keep you alive while I torture you." Kagome wailed in misery.

"Noooo! Sesshomaru, have mercy!"

"It's nothing you wouldn't deserve."

"What about Inuyasha? I refuse to take all the blame for this."

"Don't you worry about him; he'll get his fair share as well."

"So what'll it be Mr. Hotshot lawyer? Are you going to take me to court and lock me away for life or will you torture me with videos of your school theatre performances?"

"Kagome…" Sesshomaru growled.

"Right, commentary not helping. Got it." She gulped, "What is my punishment, if I may ask."

"Hmm, we'll see. I can't think of one off the top of my head but believe me," He said with a menacing glint in his eyes, "you will not like it." Kagome sighed in resignation.

Now that she knew she wasn't going to die immediately she took note of their position. Their sweaty bodies were pressed tightly together with two of his arms caging her against him; one of which was brushing the underside of her breasts. Not to mention that they were in the middle of a children's park at the top of the play structure. Blushing she started to wriggle uncomfortably.

"Can you let me go now please?" At the mention of their position, Sesshomaru too blushed at what he found; though he wasn't entirely uncomfortable with it. Kagome was soft and easy to cuddle against his larger, more solid body. She smelled good too which was strange considering how far they had run in the hot sun; he suspected some form of female witchcraft was at work. Removing his arm carefully, he still managed to brush against her breasts; his blush deepening.

When she was successfully released, she rolled off of him so that she was lying next to him; both watching the clouds float by.

"So if it wasn't the whole cat secret," Sesshomaru tensed beside her and she almost smacked herself for bringing it up again, "then what's the secret you think I'm keeping?"

"You didn't tell me you were dating." He mumbled. Kagome could tell he was slightly hurt she hadn't told him. They were best friends and were always completely honest with each other.

"Ohhh, that."

"Well tell me about it."

"Well his name is Koga Yoro. He's a fellow photographer I met when I was shooting the Bolivian salt flats a few months ago. I was just minding my own business, finding a good spot with no obstructions as I waited for the storm that was forecasted for the afternoon when he and his massive crew come and set up right in front of my shot. Instead of causing a scene I just moved my gear to a neighboring spot and started checking my equipment again. Then the asshole sends two of his grunts, Ginta and Hakkaku, to ask me to leave altogether; they thought I was just a tourist pointing an overpriced camera around." Sesshomaru could see that she was beginning to get worked up at the memory and began to rub circles on her hand; calming her immediately.

"Now you know that I'm not one to toot my own horn, but dammit I am an award winning professional landscape photographer and I wasn't about to let someone shoo me away because I had less people with me."

"So you went to Bolivia alone I see." A hard edge entering his voice. "Let me guess, you escaped your studio's staff and left without telling anyone at the office"

"Umm. Yes?" He sighed.

"I thought we agreed when you decided to be a photographer that you would always take someone with you. It's not safe to traipse around the world without anyone to watch your back. Though I'm guessing I should be grateful that I got a call from you in the first place, even though you only said that you were going to be gone for a job in Bolivia and that you'd be back in a week." He mumbled the last part.

"Ma ma, you're special, Sesshomaru, you were the only one I told!" she said with a smile but cringed with his eyes became feral.

"You're saying you left for a country on the opposite side of the world, leaving no way to contact you, and the one person you told was delirious from working on a triple homicide case for the past eight months straight without sleep?"

"Oh, congratulations on that by the way."

"Kagome!" Sesshomaru roared, "Take you safety seriously! How many times do we have to have this conversation? You are always leaving your team and wandering off alone! It's no wonder that Koga guy thought you were a tourist."

"As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me,"

"We're not done talking about this."

" _Anyway_ , eventually they sent Koga over and he instantly dropped to his knee and proposed."

"He did what!"

"Of course I kicked him in the face…" Sesshomaru smirked and mussed her hair. "Then, almost as if he were a zombie or something, he rose back up and resumed his proposal like nothing even happened despite blood gushing from his nose. It was freaky.

"Later, his crew was able to get him to stop and when I told them who I was they began to apologize profusely. Apparently, Koga is a young master and had fallen in love with my work when his parents brought him to one of my showings. Ever since then he began studying photography so that he could meet me one day; too bad I kicked him. Probably wasn't how he though our first meeting would go."

"So how did you two end up together?"

"Well, I ended up giving him and his crew some pointers about angles, lighting, exposure, etc. and spent most of the day with them. They were all such sweethearts." Kagome smiled as she recalled some of their antics. "Of course they kept talking about all Koga's good points and his love of photography. But what really won me over to giving him a shot was his passion."

Sesshomaru froze next to her, remembering the words his father had spoken to him a few days before. _'You don't develop any feelings of attachment and there is never any passion between you and your lovers. Relationships are supposed to be passionate.'_ Kagome, his best friend, was attracted to passion. He didn't have that, or at least his father didn't think he did.

"He was so enthusiastic to learn how to properly take photos and we became quite close-"

"Kagome," Sesshomaru was tired of hearing about the boyfriend, the man in her life who had something he didn't. It frustrated him and he felt his stomach tighten uncomfortably. He wanted her to think of him that way. Someone with passion and if being able to take a cool picture was all it took to make Kagome think that… "I decided what your punishment is going to be." She swallowed thickly. "Teach me about photography."

Kagome was confused by his request. She had been giving him disposable cameras for years trying to get him to better understand her love of photography; he melted them (they were disposable for a reason). So although she was thrilled her punishment was something she had been trying to get him to do for a while, she felt there was something else that was bothering him. She knew he wouldn't tell her and that she would have to figure it out on her own so she responded with a whispered.

"Ok." After all, figuring out Sesshomaru was her passion.


	2. His Passion

"Sesshomaru, I really don't understand why you are so tense." Kagome said as she watched Sesshomaru glare towards the door for the nth time as a car passed by her house. "Koga's not going to be here for another ten minutes and he's not a bad guy. I'm sure you will approve of him."

The two were seated in Kagome's tastefully furnished living room. Unlike Sesshomaru's apartment, which could be a show room it had so little character, Kagome's was well lit with comfy chairs and couches that swallowed up whoever sat in them. The walls and tables were covered with different knick knacks she had picked up during her travels abroad and some of her favorite photographs. The space lived and breathed _Kagome_.

Sesshomaru found that although he did enjoy the uniformity and cleanliness that his apartment offered, he much preferred the warmth of Kagome's home; the amount of time they spent curled up on her sofa watching a movie, playing a game, talking, or simply relaxing against each other was a testament to this. However, the calming atmosphere which usually put Sesshomaru to ease was ineffective and he continued glaring at the door as if he expected the boyfriend to walk through any second. Kagome just sighed and let him continue to burn holes through her door with his gaze.

A little white furry head poked its way around the corner of the hallway that led to Kagome's bedroom. The small puppy had been nervous about the new person in the house and had been hiding in Kagome's closet. Seeing the dog, Kagome went to pick him up only to frown as he turned and scampered away.

"I didn't know you got a dog." Sesshomaru commented as he watched Kagome disappear down the hall to retrieve the pup.

"I thought I mentioned it on Friday." Kagome called back from the other room. Thinking back, Sesshomaru could briefly recall her mentioning a new puppy. "I picked him up from the shelter early last week. They think he's a German Shepherd mixed with something else. I'm calling him 'dog' for now."

"You named your dog 'Dog?'" Sesshomaru asked dryly.

"I said that the name was only temporary." Kagome defended as she reentered the room holding the squirming puppy. "Now let's introduce you two." She said as she brought the puppy's face close to Sesshomaru's." Dog froze, caught in Sesshomaru's hard gaze. Instantly recognizing the alpha, Dog shrank back into Kagome's arms. "Sesshomaru, don't glare at Dog!"

"Hn." Sesshomaru hummed, "It was necessary to teach it its' place."

Instead of arguing with her friend, Kagome just rolled her eyes and went to pour Dog some food. Feeding him was one of Kagome's favorite things; Dog would get so excited that his lips would quiver. This time, instead of Dog rushing to inhale his food, he turned to look at Sesshomaru for approval. Sesshomaru, who had been watching the puppy, nodded his head and the fuzzy pup instantly dove for its' food.

When he finished, Kagome was surprised when Dog trotted up to Sesshomaru and began to paw at his leg. Feeling indulgent, Sesshomaru reached down to pet Dog only to feel the sting of puppy teeth biting into his hand. Everyone froze. Kagome in concern for her dog, Dog because he realized he had just done something wrong, and Sesshomaru at the audacity the dog had to bite _him_. Slowly, ever so slowly, Dog released Sesshomaru and backed away; fearful of the dark force gathering around the male perched on the sofa.

"Now Sesshomaru, let's be calm about this…" Kagome said in a soft, soothing voice. Sesshomaru's murderous gaze rose from the frightened puppy to its' owner who had begun to nervously fiddle with her hands. Before anything could happen, a loud knock rang out in the house effectively startling it occupants. Dog took this chance to run for the relative safety of Kagome's bedroom.

The knock was confident and eager. Sesshomaru growled inaudibly, his attention returning to the door; his mood far worse than it had been before his altercation with Kagome's puppy.

He wasn't quite sure what had him so worked up about this boyfriend of hers. She had had a few lovers in the past but they were few and far between. Perhaps it was because she hadn't told him of her relationship despite them having been together for almost half a year. Perhaps it was because for his whole life Sesshomaru had been the center of Kagome's world and he was now losing his place to some stranger. Perhaps it was because he didn't want anyone to be sniffing around what was his. Perhaps it was because this boyfriend was able to capture Kagome's attention in ways Sesshomaru had not. He growled lowly again.

Straightening her yellow summer dress, Kagome went to receive Koga at the door, but not before she shot Sesshomaru one last warning look which screamed, ' _Be nice or I'll rip you to shreds_.' He matched her look for one of his own saying, ' _This Sesshomaru will do as he sees fit_.'

The door opened to reveal a roguish looking man leaning against the frame of the door by his forearm. He immediately leaned down and captured Kagome's mouth in a sweet kiss. Sesshomaru's growl became more pronounced. The male had long silky black hair which was pulled back in a high ponytail, his bangs being restrained with a green headband. He wore a simple grey t-shirt tucked into a pair of dark brown cargo shorts. The two broke the kiss and looked over at him; Kagome's eyes warm and excited to introduce him, Koga's narrowed in suspicion and his hand found its way around Kagome's waist.

"Ah, Sesshomaru, this is Koga." She said as she gestured to the man beside her, "Koga, this is Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru found himself reaching out his hand to greet the male. Koga made sure to grip particularly hard, a forced smile on his face.

"Pleasure to meet you Sesshomaru, my woman's been telling me about you for a while." Sesshomaru increased the strength of his handshake and was pleased when Koga's face twisted in pain.

"Funny, she hasn't mentioned you once." Sesshomaru responded, his voice dispassionate.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome hissed embarrassed.

"It's fine Kagome," Koga said with a wave of his hand and a cocky grin, "I didn't expect him to like me much at first. Just wait though, he'll come around."

"Unlikely." Sesshomaru murmured, receiving a pointed glare from Kagome.

"Anyway, since today was meant for you two to get to know each other, I'll get started on making some lunch while you two talk." Kagome said as she headed for the kitchen only pausing to place a light kiss on Koga's cheek. When she was gone all politeness slipped from his face.

"So how long are you going to be sticking around my woman? She did say that this was so we could become friends, but three's a crowd if you know what I mean." Koga said as he nodded his head toward the door, a silent command for Sesshomaru to hit the road. Sesshomaru was not amused.

"You are the one stepping on toes, mutt." Sesshomaru replied before heading to the kitchen, wrapping his arms around Kagome from behind. "You never could cut straight." He said as he placed his hands over her own and began to help her cut the chicken for their curry into smaller cubes. She giggled at him and his need to control every situation, even the shape of the chicken.

From the entryway, Koga fumed. That white haired bastard had his hands all over his woman and she didn't seem to think anything of it, completely comfortable in the other man's arms. He saw the display for what it was: Sesshomaru was telling him that although Koga may be there now, he would always be with Kagome. Koga's relationship with Kagome lacked the permanence and strength that hers and Sesshomaru's held. If he had any doubt in his interpretation, it was eliminated when Sesshomaru shot him a triumphant smirk before resting his chin on Kagome's head.

Lunch was a tense affair, with Kagome constantly mediating between the two men. They seemed to be having a competition to see who could insinuate the rudest thing to the other without Kagome noticing. Sesshomaru was winning by a landslide not having been caught once. Koga was less fortunate and had been chided by Kagome several times. She was very upset at how Koga was treating her best friend. She had thought that with his easy outgoing personality, so much like her own, he would get along well with Sesshomaru. Instead, Koga only saw Sesshomaru as a rival.

Seeing that he wouldn't be helping himself by sticking around after lunch, Koga left after kissing Kagome goodbye. Sesshomaru, of course, growled. When the door closed, Kagome turned around with an amused expression on her face. Sesshomaru was seated on the armrest of the couch which had a view of the front door from the living room, more specifically a view of the intruder leaving. It was the same spot he had been in earlier and Kagome couldn't help but think that he looked like Dog after he succeeded in defending his chosen toy from the loud "monster" (read: vacuum).

"You know, with all that growling and posturing you do, one would really think you were some sort of animal." She laughed when he raised an eyebrow. "Not to mention, your preferred nonverbal form of speech. Really, your dad should have never let you watch all those animal planet shows when you were a kid."

Sesshomaru looked away, a light blush dusting his cheekbones. He had always found wild dogs to be interesting and sometimes found himself subconsciously imitating them. Watching documentaries on it was a guilty pleasure of his. Kagome just smiled knowingly before knocking her friend off the armrest, forcing him to fall back onto the couch. Plopping herself down beside him, she decided to tease the dog and began to nuzzle his neck. He stiffened momentarily before letting out a small purr and curling around her. She never understood how he was able to make those noises despite being human. She just indulged his more animalistic tendencies, they were cute.

Sesshomaru on the other hand was flustered. His body seemed to be reacting to the woman in his arms. Her body was soft against his own and the way she was nuzzling him… his neck was definitely and endogenous zone. Though he went cold with her next words.

"So how did you like him?" when she was met with silence she forged on, "I know that he wasn't the nicest today, but maybe in the future it will get better."

"Hn."

"Ok, well since it's Sunday, we have the rest of the day to ourselves."

"Kagome, I have a lot of work piled up-"

"Nope. You said that I have to teach you to take pictures and today is a great day out, so we're going." He sighed in defeat.

"I'm beginning to think this is my punishment instead of yours."

"Hey, you were the one who decided it." She said as she went to get her camera from her office. When she returned she had her bag with her camera and some extra equipment. She also had a small digital camera that he could use. "Let's go, lord fluffy."

Sesshomaru grumbled to himself at the nickname he had insisted she call him when they were children and playing the demon and miko game. He would never live it down.

* * *

"So what do you want to take pictures of?" Kagome asked as they walked along a shaded path at one of the many public parks around her neighborhood. Sesshomaru looked down at her dryly.

"Does it really matter?"

"Of course, you idiot!" Kagome exclaimed, "That's like me asking if there is a difference between civil and criminal law!" Sesshomaru snorted at the comparison, he highly doubted that there was that big a difference in pointing a camera at a flower or a person. Kagome was rambling on next to him, about what he had no idea. He stopped listening when she started talking about exposure something and shutter something. Instead he watched as a little girl with brown hair and a sunny smile pushed her slightly green in the face looking friend on the swings; a pair of twins encouraging her to push higher and higher from the side.

The light breeze was refreshing and Sesshomaru breathed in the afternoon air, relishing the silence. The silence… looking down he found that Kagome, the perpetual chatterbox, was no longer by his side and sighed, resigning himself to spending the next hour hunting her down.

Kagome could never do things the normal or easy way. She thrived on the many adventures a life on the edge gave her which was why he couldn't bring himself to be surprised when he happened to catch sight of her high up in one of the maple trees, camera in hand. Sesshomaru could understand why this particular tree had drawn her attention, its leaves having changed to a vibrant red prematurely. It stood out against the surrounding green vegetation and was only made brighter by the sun lighting it up.

Kagome was lying on her back across one of its more sturdy branches, the leaves casting speckled shadows across her and the yellow dress she was wearing. Her camera was trained on something out of sight above her and there was a small smile on her lips, eyes alight. She looked ethereal. Without thinking, Sesshomaru found himself raising the forgotten camera in his hand to capture her image forever.

"Waaa! Sesshomaru!" Kagome suddenly yelled from above, startling Sesshomaru slightly. "When did you get here?"

"Are you quite finished?"

"Mhmm." Sesshomaru raised his eyebrow in question when she didn't immediately begin to climb down. "You have to look away, I'm in a dress!"

"You should have thought of that before you ventured up there." ' _How did she even get that high up in a dress?'_ He wondered silently.

"Sesshomaru!" He fought the urge to roll his eyes, instead he turned his back as she requested. It wasn't long before the monkey was beside him and patting the dirt and twigs from her dress and hair. Not for the first time, he wondered how someone as cultured and sophisticated as him had wound up being friends with such an eccentric person who was better suited in the wild than civilized society.

She beamed up at him as she took his hand. He felt warmth pool in his stomach and his body relaxed, allowing her to drag him wherever she desired. _'Ah,_ ' he thought, ' _This warmth_. _This peace_.' How could he not stay with her when she made him _feel_.

Turns out her latest idea was to visit the ducks that liked to congregate around the small pond in the center of the park. There were families and couples sprawled out on blankets along the hillside down to the water watching over the children playing. Well, children plus Kagome. Almost as soon as they arrived, she was roping kids into playing her games. She didn't mind that her dress was getting wet or that she looked like an idiot, Sesshomaru could see from the smile on her face that she took great enjoyment in the children's smiles. He even found himself chuckling when she started getting chased by ducks and children alike as she ran with a loaf of bread along the water's edge. Once again, Sesshomaru found his camera aimed at Kagome, taking the photo just as she glanced over her shoulder. Her smile was radiant and the water splashed around her fleeing feet, sparkling as they caught the suns light.

Kagome was nervous as she made her way back to her abandoned friend, thoroughly drenched from the few times she had tripped in the water. She was supposed to have spent the day with him but ended up getting distracted. She had been looking forward to the chance to be Sesshomaru's teacher so that she could tease him with her superiority but from the admonishing look he was giving her and her current state of dress, she didn't think that she would be getting that chance anytime soon.

No words were said as they made their way back towards Kagome's house. Sesshomaru was quite amused with how Kagome looked like a drenched kitten with the way she was sulking. He also knew that the silence was killing her. She would occasionally glance up at him only to look away when he raised an eyebrow at her. All in all, though they had not spent too much time together, Sesshomaru had enjoyed their evening. Well he enjoyed it up until the point when he saw who was waiting on Kagome's front porch.

"Kagome!" Koga called when he noticed their approach, "What happened to you?"

"You know, the usual." She said smiling cheekily. "I tend to get carried away."

"Too bad I wasn't there," he said as his eyes met Sesshomaru's, "I would have taken care of you properly." Sesshomaru's eyes darkened and he had to clench his teeth to keep from saying something rude in return.

"What are you talking about?" Kagome was completely confused, "This would have happened regardless of who was with me." Koga shrugged, not denying or confirming. "Did you need something, Koga? It is getting rather late."

"Do I need a reason to see my girlfriend?"

"Well… no I guess not."

"Great!" he said wrapping an arm around the still wet Kagome and glaring at Sesshomaru. "Well, I guess you should head back Sesshomaru, tomorrow is a work day after all."

"Koga! You can't just dismiss Sesshomaru. He can stay if he wants." Kagome said upset that Koga would take such liberties at her own home. Sesshomaru could tell that Koga was about to say something stupid and, as much as he would like to watch him get chewed out, Kagome was already shivering from the cold.

"It's all right, Kagome. I need to get some things in order for tomorrow anyway. You should take a shower and warm up." Kagome smiled and stepped forward, wrapping Sesshomaru in a hug.

"Thanks Sesshomaru." She whispered so that Koga wouldn't hear, "I'm sorry about him." Sesshomaru squeezed her back before stepping away. When he saw the dark, possessive look in Koga's eyes Sesshomaru instantly became concerned for his friend. For now, though, he would trust her judgment in men.

The drive back to his apartment was short. He drove mechanically, unseeing, merely going through the necessary motions. The further he drove from her the more he felt himself shut down and return to the unfeeling lawyer the world saw him as. Turning the key to his apartment, Sesshomaru absently noted he couldn't remember much of his journey…home.

Numb, Sesshomaru entered the dark space. He didn't bother announce his return, no one would respond after all. The apartment was empty, devoid of life. How fitting.

He seated himself on one of his immaculate couches and gazed out at the cityscape before him as his thoughts wondered back to his friend. Kagome would probably be sharing a nice dinner with her boyfriend right about now. Sesshomaru could envision how she would smile lovingly as she blushed lightly. When they finished eating, they would clean up together then move to the living room where they would cuddle on the sofa. _The same one he had been on with her only hours before_. Things would progress and they would find themselves making their way to her bedroom where…

Sesshomaru clutched his stomach in sudden pain. Curling up, he wrapped his arms around his legs and pressed his face against his knees. The quiet of the apartment allowed his muffled voice to carry, filling the space.

"I hate this."

* * *

"Sir," Sesshomaru's intern called as he franticly tried to match Sesshomaru's longer strides, "You have a meeting with the defense attorneys for the monk case in twenty minutes to discuss pretrial discovery."

"Kohaku, why wasn't that case turned over to my brother, he has more experience with hate crime cases?"

"I was told that the partners wanted someone who has dealt with high profile cases." Entering his office, Sesshomaru spared his desk buried in paperwork a glance before turning around to retrieve some much needed tea.

"I have not yet had sufficient time to look over the case to have something prepared for the pretrial discovery and I am currently working on at least six other cases, not counting the new ones I was mailed this afternoon."

"That was also taken care of. Bankotsu and his team will be your clerks for this case and they have drawn up a plan. This is only a discussion and not the discovery itself."

"Yes, but I do not like being unprepared" Sesshomaru bit out, "Nor do I appreciate having high profile cases dropped on my lap twenty minutes before a meeting with their defense attorneys." Kohaku remained silent. He knew that although Sesshomaru was bitter about his situation, he would still take the case and succeed in convicting the group of radical monks who had been "purifying" non-believers.

Much to Sesshomaru's relief, Bankotsu's team was very thorough in the case brief they presented him. They clearly listed the facts, causes of actions, and potential defenses that would be used. They had even created a list of expert witnesses that would be integral to their case and the topics they would discuss. To Sesshomaru, the case seemed very cut and dry, his expertise was not required to win this case; even Kohaku was capable enough. However, the killings had drawn quite a bit of public attention and the city wanted people to know that they had one of their best lawyers working the case. So Sesshomaru resigned himself to the countless hours he would spend going over the evidence, coaching the witnesses, selecting the jury, meeting with the defense, meeting with the judge, and actually arguing the case in court which could drag on for months.

Sesshomaru knew from experience that being frustrated or upset at the increased workload would do nothing but hinder him; so, like a switch, he turned off those emotions. Robotically, he began to read the materials and add his own notations. Kohaku watched with concern as his boss' annoyed expression became one of indifference, so often had he seen Sesshomaru close himself off from the world.

When he had first begun to intern at the well-known law firm, Kohaku developed a deep admiration for the serious lawyer. His objectivity allowed him to see cases from many different perspectives so that he was always prepared for any defense made. The stony mask was the only expression Kohaku had ever seen his boss wear leading him to think that Sesshomaru was never not working, he was always processing and planning; someone who lived for their work.

One day, though, Kohaku had forgotten his lunch and was forced to run out to his car to retrieve it. While he was unlocking his car he happened to see his boss leaning against a car a few spaces away speaking with someone on the phone. Kohaku couldn't make out what was being said, but the soft voice his boss was speaking with, the indulging smile on his relaxed face, and the affection held in his eyes told Kohaku that Sesshomaru cared deeply for the person. Transfixed, Kohaku watched his boss speak with the mystery person his whole lunch break. Even as he ended the call, Sesshomaru's expression remained the same. He gazed at his phone for a moment as if to savor the conversation before pocketing it to head back inside. Unfortunately, Sesshomaru spotted Kohaku who was still watching him. Kohaku watched in horror as the light drained from Sesshomaru's eyes and all semblance of the man from moments ago disappeared, replaced by the indifferent mask. Nothing was said between them and eventually Sesshomaru nodded politely and returned inside.

From that point on, Kohaku had made it his mission to learn everything about his boss. He watched Sesshomaru's every movement and expression, looking for the man he had seen in the parking lot. And he did. Frequently. Though some may call it stalking, Kohaku would call his daily following of Sesshomaru during breaks "concern" for a friend. He knew that it was an invasion of privacy, but there was just something so morbidly fascinating about watching Sesshomaru speak with the mystery person so happily then returning to the shell of a man the world saw. It was like watching a train wreck or a car crash; it was so awful it's impossible to look away.

Kohaku had kept up his "surveillance" for almost a year now and he had yet to see a variance in habit. Not when his girlfriend, Kagura, would surprise him for a visit and not when a heavy workload was pushed onto him simply because he was the best in his field. Yet today, today when Sesshomaru came into work, there were bags under his eyes and he seemed more cut off from the world than usual. Then, when lunch rolled around, Sesshomaru did not leave to a more remote location to make his phone call.

Sesshomaru sat in his office staring at the communication device lying so innocently on his desk. All night he had wondered what had happened with Kagome and her boyfriend. He couldn't even focus at work he was so distracted with various "what ifs." His hand itched to call her, to relieve his curiosity. At the same time he didn't want to speak to her at all. He didn't understand what was making him so agitated about the situation and didn't want to end up taking out his frustration on her. Not to mention his increasing need to know everything about Kagome was driving him insane and he was vehemently against encouraging the developing interest. It was none of his business what she was doing in her spare time or who she was spending it with.

So he just glared at the phone as if it was the cause of all his problems. Just as he was giving in and reaching for his phone, it begun to ring and Kagome's name flashed across the screen. He snatched up the phone before it was given the chance to ring a second time.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked tentatively. Sesshomaru closed his eyes and relished her voice like a starved man. "Sesshomaru, are you there?"

"Hn." Kagome immediately began to chuckle at him.

"So, are you very busy this weekend? I want to go on a hike in the mountains."

"That's quite the urge."

"You could use some fresh air too, you know." She protested, "Kami knows how you can survive havings such a boring existence."

"… Well when you put it that way." Sesshomaru hedged suggestively.

"So you'll come?"

"No."

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome wined, "You should come, I'll get bored if I go on my own."

"Why not bring that boyfriend of yours. I'm sure he has time to spare."

"Well, were not really on the best of terms right now." Kagome said softly.

"What happened? Did he hurt you?" Sesshomaru interrogated a hard edge entering his voice.

"No! No! It's not anything like that. We just got into a bit of an argument after you left last night."

"…Do you want to talk about it?"

"Can you come over tonight? I'll make you dinner." She bribed. Sighing, Sesshomaru knew that with the new case he didn't have the time to spare, but he could tell that Kagome was quite upset and decided that a few all-nighters later in the week could make up for the lost time.

"I'll come over around seven."

"Thanks, Sesshomaru." Kagome said relieved. "But you still have to come with me this weekend, ok? Ok! Sounds great, see you later then!"

"Kagome-" Sesshomaru yelled but heard nothing but a dial tone. His brow twitched in annoyance as once again found himself glaring at his phone. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair to look at the ceiling tiles above him. Though he was concerned for her, he couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his face. _So they had a fight. Maybe…_ A clatter from the hall drew his attention. Through the window, he saw that his intern had dropped some papers and was scrambling to collect them, occasionally glancing into his office.

Meanwhile, Kohaku had been startled by the name he heard his boss say. He had always wondered who the only person who could make Sesshomaru smile was, many a times he had almost blown his cover trying to retrieve such information. Never would he have thought it was his sister's best friend, _Kagome_.

* * *

"You should have seen the look on his face, Sesshomaru! It was hilarious!" Kagome laughed as she set the table on her patio while Sesshomaru grilled some fish. The evening was warm enough that they had decided to eat outside where they could enjoy the weather and Dog had free reign of the backyard. "Koga had been so rude to you and I was just about to give him a piece of my mind when Dog showed up looking guilty. As you know, Dog doesn't usually come to the door when someone comes in so I thought that it was strange and began to follow him. That's when the smell hit me. Apparently Dog had a difficult time digesting his food last night and had quite the accident while we were out. And Koga," Kagome laughed, scarcely able to breathe she was laughing so hard, "Koga stepped in it! He actually stepped in Dog's shit! Get it?"

Sesshomaru didn't say anything, but his lips curled into a sadistic smirk. _He had it coming_.

"Then he got all pissed off at me for laughing and started accusing me of cheating. It was really awkward."

"Why would it be awkward? Wouldn't you usually be furious?"

"Well, I don't handle confrontation well," Sesshomaru snorted at the understatement, "Usually I end up yelling right back and the problem only escalates."

Sesshomaru could remember being on the receiving end of some of Kagome's rants, he was sure she was responsible for some of his hearing loss over the years. There were even a few times she had been so furious at Inuyasha that she would yell at him to "sit" and, like a good boy, he would obediently follow her command; she was simply that scary.

"Well that's now how the argument was at all." She continued, "The whole time he was just accusing me of things and I couldn't even find the motivation to defend myself. I just kept thinking, 'Is it even worth it?'"

"Of course it's worth it to defend yourself." Sesshomaru replied angrily as he plated the fish. "It's always worth it."

"That's not what I meant." Kagome sighed, "It's just that I think he has this idea of who I should be, that he fell in love with the idea of me and not me the person. I knew this at the start, he did ask me out at first sight, but I thought with time he would want to get to know the actual me."

"But he'd rather force you to become the image of a perfect girlfriend he created?" Kagome smiled sadly.

"Looks like it." Sesshomaru was quiet for a moment before smirking.

"Were quite the pair, you and me."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked sardonically.

"I never appreciate my girlfriends and you are never appreciated by your boyfriends."

"I don't see how that's any fault of mine." Kagome said accusingly, "you are the reason there are girls like me."

"Who knows, maybe I'm just waiting around for the girl who forces my attention."

"That'll be the day." Kagome snorted as she chewed her food. Sesshomaru didn't reply, instead choosing to watch his friend. "You're coming with me this weekend." She said changing the subject.

"Kagome, I was just assigned another case and I really don't-"

"Nope, I refuse to accept that answer. You are always working and could use some time in the mountains. You loved to go exploring them when we were kids."

"Key word: when we were kids."

"Oh, come on. Don't be such a spoil sport!"

Sesshomaru was about to retort, with a witty response no doubt, when he felt a light nudge by his foot. Looking down he was captured in the doe eyes of Kagome's puppy that had come over when food was placed on the table. Its' ears had yet to rise and were flopped down besides his head which was cocked slightly to the side. Sesshomaru snuck a covert glance at his fish and then at Kagome to see if she was watching. Slowly, he removed a small piece of meat and began to slyly sneak it down to Dog's quivering lips.

"Don't even think about it, Sesshomaru. The vet said that he can't eat human food until he's at least eight months old." Looking up from her meal, Kagome was taken aback by the two sets of puppy dog eyes aimed at her, begging. "No." Sesshomaru looked down at the dog sadly and Kagome could have sworn she heard a mumbled 'later.'

"Why do you need to go to the mountains anyway?" Sesshomaru asked as he actually started eating his food.

"Well I wanted to scout out the area for possible location shoots."

"And I'm guessing that if I don't go with you, you will once again be going alone?"

"Well, not completely alone." Sesshomaru raised his eyebrow in skepticism, "I'll have Dog with me!"

"You are planning on taking a puppy that is afraid of rain, butterflies, carrots, Jell-O, and people out into the mountains alone."

"Yup!" Kagome replied happily. "I'm conditioning him."

"For what?" He asked skeptically, "You're not planning on leaving him somewhere are you?"

"Kamis no, Sesshomaru. I'm training him for life, Sesshomaru. He can't just shut himself away in my room forever, he needs to make friends." She gave him a pointed look. Sesshomaru got the message.

"Fine, but I'm only going for the sake of your dog."

"Woohoo!" Kagome whooped. "This is going to be so much fun! We can camp in the wild, roast marshmallows, and tell ghost stories!"

"Whatever you say."

"And don't forget to bring your camera! The mountains are a great place to take photos." Sesshomaru just nodded his head in agreement. When Kagome got going on something, there was no stopping her.

* * *

It was a normal day at the office for Sesshomaru; the interns were running errands, the clerks buried neck deep in paperwork and law texts, and associates strutting about conversing on their various weekly achievements thirsting for a position as partner. Sesshomaru himself was diligently going over the material that had been gathered for one of his state cases where the defendant had been caught robbing a home and ended up killing the couple that had walked in on him. It was another cut and dry case, there was an overwhelming amount of evidence against the defendant and it was clear that he would be convicted. Despite this, Sesshomaru made sure that all possible angles were covered just in case. He was diligent to a fault.

He had been clearing up some of his emails and backed up phone calls when Kohaku knocked to let him know that there was a man wishing to see him on a personal matter. Curious, as it was nearing the end of the work day and there were few people who would seek him for something personal, Sesshomaru asked who it was.

"He says that his name is Koga Yoro and that you are an acquaintance of his."

"Ah." Sesshomaru said already feeling a headache coming on. "You can send him in." Kohaku nodded and led Koga in a few moments later. Koga was underdress and stood out like a sore thumb in the prestigious law firm where even the janitorial staff was dressed immaculately. This didn't seem to bother him though as he has puffed out his chest and was looking around Sesshomaru's office judgingly.

"Is there something I can help you with Mr. Yoro?" Sesshomaru asked politely, he was in the office after all and it wouldn't do to make a scene.

"Yea, you can stay away from my woman." Koga looked confident that Sesshomaru would listen to him. Though, he had been difficult a few days ago, surely Sesshomaru would have found out by now who his parents were and how powerful they were.

"No."

"Great, I'm glad that you have some sense-" Koga paused, "Wait, did you just say no?"

"That is correct. Kagome and I have been friends since we were children, I will not leave her side just because her boyfriend is jealous."

"Is that all you want? To stay her friend?" Sesshomaru didn't say anything. He himself wasn't sure what he wanted. One thing was for sure though; he didn't like her being with anyone but him. "Yea, that's what I thought." Koga bit out as he lunged for Sesshomaru who easily evaded the punch. Koga didn't stop there though and continued to attack Sesshomaru.

"Remember that you are in a building of lawyers who lock people away for smaller things than personal assault." Sesshomaru said coldly as he created space between them. Koga looked up to see that the whole office was, in fact, watching through the floor to ceiling windows between the main space and Sesshomaru's office. Cursing he stormed from the room.

"Stay away from my woman." He said as he slammed Sesshomaru's office door behind him. The office watched as Koga waited for the elevator, he was blushing slightly at how dramatic his exit was only to have to wait for the elevator. When he finally left, their heads snapped to Sesshomaru's office where he was reorganizing some of the disturbed paperwork.

"Never thought we'd see the day Sesshomaru would get into a fight over a woman." One of the clerks said in surprise. Instantly the office was abuzz with what had happened, secretaries picking up their phones to gossip with their compatriots on different floors. _The_ Sesshomaru, _the_ most desirable man in the city, _the_ untouchable godlike lawyer…was in love with a taken woman! Chaos ensued.

* * *

"I'm surprised that your boyfriend is letting you come out here without him." Sesshomaru commented as they walked along the forestry trail and he had to duck to avoid a low hanging branch.

"We're taking a bit of a break." Kagome said dryly. "I can't believe that he actually went to your work and tried to beat you up! Who does that? Then, he runs to his father to clean up his mess. The audacity of that man!" Kagome fumed.

"Well it did add a bit of excitement to the usually dull office."

"Ha! So you admit that it's dull there."

"No, just that the office can be dull. I enjoy the work."

"Mhmm," Kagome hummed suspicious, "Well I think that your desire to put the city's criminals behind bars is just another animalistic urge of yours to protect your territory."

"Your opinion has been noted and filed away, never to be spoken of again." Sesshomaru droned slightly annoyed at the accuracy in what she said.

"Thanks for taking care of Dog by the way." Kagome said over her shoulder, "As if these packs aren't heavy enough." Sesshomaru had been carrying him since they had arrived seeing how Dog had refused to leave the relative safety of the car; the sounds of the mountain being far too intimidating for him. The only thing Dog agreed to was being carried by Sesshomaru who he saw as something of a protector. As they walked along, Sesshomaru noticed that Dog was becoming increasingly more curious about his surroundings and began to think that maybe Kagome's "conditioning" held some merit after all.

"It's not a problem, he doesn't weigh much anyway and he would tire quickly if he were to have walked."

"I suppose your right." Sesshomaru smirked at her admission. Getting Kagome to admit to anything was like pulling teeth. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it."

"…"

Sesshomaru was quite happy that Kagome had forced him along with her, not that he would tell her that. If getting Kagome to admit something was like pulling teeth, getting him to admit was like winning the lottery; damn near impossible. They had spent a good deal of their childhood exploring the forests around the Higurashi family shrine and he enjoyed the throwback the mountain was offering. The air was free of the pollution in the city and the only sounds they could hear were birds and bugs. It was peaceful. Rubbing Dog's head, he smiled a genuine smile as he watched Kagome scout the area for potential photos. He too had his camera on hand, as per Kagome's instructions. He couldn't help but capture her ridiculous expressions as she came across one thing or another.

Kagome also found that she was enjoying her time with Sesshomaru more than usual. She just felt so much more free in the mountains with him than she had felt for a long while. Breaking up with Koga was a major relief. She hadn't realized just how oppressive all his expectations of her were until she cleaned shop. It was like old times again, her and Sesshomaru against the world.

The trail was quite rough, not many people had been hiking this deep in the mountains, but Kagome had been told that there were a number of meadows, springs, and waterfalls that were hidden away in some of the more difficult to get to places. The first meadow they came across was lovely. There were small flowers covering every inch of the space and Dog had decided to investigate each one to make sure they were safe. Kagome had laughed and taken a series of photos when Dog began to stalk the immobile flowers, his back haunches raised high as he slunk forward. Even Sesshomaru had to laugh as Dog began to "fight" the flowers, which mainly consisted of him batting at them with his paws.

The day was pleasant and the two decided that they would camp beside a small stream that Kagome suspected would later lead to one of the elusive waterfalls. Sitting around the campfire, Sesshomaru admired how the flames cast an unearthly glow over his companion. _She is quite beautiful_ , he found himself thinking just before she shoved a smore in her mouth. _Though she has her quirks_.

He had had a lot of time to think while they were walking and Kagome's presence soothed him. He considered what his father had said, how he was never able to love a woman or develop any form of attachment with them. It had never bothered him before, he had all the companionship he needed in Kagome. She was always with him and he with her. Yet, he had felt scared; scared at the prospect of losing her to someone else. He needed her to be by his side. He needed to see her smiles and feel her wrapped up in his arms. He needed her look only at him just as he has only ever looked at her.

"So how's your photo project coming along?" Kagome asked conversationally. Sesshomaru smirked confidently.

"Very well, I took a lot of photos today."

"It's not about the number of photos, Sesshomaru." She said as she licked away the sticky residue from the marshmallows on her fingers. "It's about the content of the image." Seeing his lost expression she explained. "You can take hundreds of thousands of pictures, but they will mean nothing to you if there is no meaning in them. That's why the subject of the photo is important; it's why we are wandering around in the mountains until I feel inspired by something."

"So the content of a photo is what makes someone feel passionate?"

"Mhmm. It inspires, moves, and conveys the emotions of the photographer. Photographs are deeply personal." Sesshomaru smiled amusedly at how excited she was.

"You're photos do that, make people understand you. That's why you are such a well-known photographer." Kagome blushed at the praise.

"Let's look at what you've got then." She said shifting the topic away from her as she scooted beside him, careful not to disturb Dog who was cowering from the fire behind Sesshomaru. Dutifully, Sesshomaru presented his camera to Kagome who gleefully took it and began to flip through images.

The first were some that she had taken before giving the camera to Sesshomaru and she smiled at the memories they evoked. Her smile spread when she saw a picture of her in the tree at the park. She had to admit that it was a charming picture of her. Flipping to the next one she saw herself playing with the children at the park. There were some of her being chased by ducks and others of her chasing them. They each brought a smile to her lips, even the ones where she looked like a maniac. Scrolling through the photos of her at the park she came to the ones he had taken earlier that day. He had captured her completely. Sometimes she was laughing and other times she was making such a stupid expression she had to bury her face in Sesshomaru's shoulder. There were some of Dog but each of those featured her as well. She felt warmed by the photos; he had conveyed his amusement and love for her clearly through the photos. ' _But that's just as a friend_ ,' She thought. Confused and more than a little flustered, she continued to move through the many photos Sesshomaru had taken that day.

"Sesshomaru." She said confused, "I'm in all of your pictures."

He looked away from her but she could still see the light coloring of his cheeks. His father's words once again returned to him. It wasn't that he couldn't develop feelings for women, just that he already had them for one woman who had been beside him all along. How could he have her and ever consider someone else? He loved her. He loved her and it scared him. However, he wouldn't chance losing her again, not when she was so near. Kagome's heart stopped when he spoke quietly; his voice carrying despite the noise of the cicadas.

"You're my passion."


	3. Their Passion

"Hide me!" Kagome cried out as she burst through the small café doors. Miroku narrowed his eyes at the latest intrusion on his once peaceful café, unsurprised to find a frazzled Kagome whose eyes were darting about, surveying the room; it was a Friday after all.

"Oh no! Not today, Kagome." Miroku said as he rounded the corner of the bar to escort her from the premises. "We're full today and the Kid's been keeping me up all week."

"You don't understand, Miroku!" Kagome wailed as she desperately fought Miroku's hold on the back of her collar which he was using to drag her towards the door. "He is _relentless_!"

"Which is even more reason for me to boot you." Miroku replied, his voice monotone. "I don't want the media staking out my place again. Sango would kill both you and me."

"No, no, no! It's not the reporters." Kagome lowered her voice to a whisper and pulled Miroku's ear down so no one else would hear. "It's _him_." Miroku sighed.

"Kagome, I really don't have time for your games, who is stalking you this time?" Kagome glanced nervously around the café for any prying ears before once again whispering into his ear.

"Sesshomaru."

"Sesshomaru?" Miroku repeated loudly only to get Kagome's hands slapped over his mouth.

"Shhhhh!" Kagome hissed. There was a flash of silver outside the windows and Kagome lunged for the nearest table by the door. Looking over his shoulder, Miroku saw a white car continuing down the street. His wife's best friend was cowering under an occupied table, much to the patrons' amusement, and was occasionally sneaking bread rolls. Rubbing his eyes, Miroku resigned himself to an afternoon spent sorting out Kagome's craziness.

"Alright," Miroku conceded as he knelt beside the table, Kagome's body hidden from sight by the tablecloth. "Just what happened this time?"

"He has been stalking me all week!" Kagome hissed out her eyes wild from lack of sleep. Reaching out, Kagome grasped Miroku's shoulder. "You should prepare yourself too, Miroku. Sesshomaru has finally snapped. We've been telling him that all that work would drive him insane… He was too young!"

"Wow, calm down, Kagome!" Miroku placated, "I'm only getting bits and pieces. Why is Sesshomaru stalking you? He snapped?"

"The dog has got it into his head that we should try dating and has been following me ever since then!"

The café went silent, the whole establishment having been listening in, though none could believe what they had heard. Sure Kohaku had told his brother in law and some of the regulars that Sesshomaru had gotten in a fight over a woman but never had they thought it was Kagome Kohaku was talking about.

"Haaaa?" Miroku exclaimed in surprise, falling over in shock. "Sesshomaru asked you out…in a romantic way? Sesshomaru who we believed was autosexual all through college actually asked someone out and not the other way around?"

"See what I mean! It's an emergency." Kagome said as she clung to one of the tables legs as if her life depended on it.

"Of all the people in the world, he wants you?" Miroku continued in a trance like shock.

"Hey, I resent that." Kagome grumbled.

"He's truly gone off the deep end."

"Miroku!" Kagome yelled angrily just as the front door of the café was slammed open.

"Miroku…come!" Sesshomaru commanded calmly from the entryway.

"I'm not a damn dog." Miroku muttered as he rose to his feet. These two were going to be the death of him someday soon. "Yea, yea. What do you need, Sesshomaru?"

"Have you seen Kagome recently?"

"Nope." Miroku replied calmly. Sesshomaru was about to leave when he noticed the grins on many of the customers faces.

"You lie."

"Sesshomaru! Would I lie to you?" Miroku said crossing his arms defensively. Even to Miroku that sounded weak, Sesshomaru's eyebrow attesting to that fact. Miroku was a known swindler and conman through his university years before Sango straightened him out. "Ah. Yea. Right. That was pretty stupid."

"Indeed."

"She's under the table over there." Miroku said pointing to one of the tables in the back. Immediately Sesshomaru strode across the space and threw back the tablecloth only to find nothing. A jingling of bells alerted him to Kagome's hasty retreat.

"We'll talk later, monk!" Sesshomaru snarled as he tore after the fleeing girl.

When the two troublemakers had finally left Miroku sank to the floor and clutched his chest, heart racing. Miroku used the sleeve on his other arm to wipe the cold sweat that had broken out on his forehead, lying to Sesshomaru did that to a person.

* * *

"This is getting old, Kagome." Sesshomaru panted out, Kagome pinned against the wall. He had finally caught up to Kagome in a game center where she had been attempting to blend with the crowd. She should have known that that wouldn't work against Sesshomaru; he always seemed to be able to find her.

"Well maybe if you stopped following me it would be less redundant."

"I wouldn't have to follow you everywhere if you would just listen to me for a moment!" Sesshomaru snapped angrily. Kagome tensed, startled and slightly afraid of his tone. Seeing this, Sesshomaru sighed and released her, moving his hands to the wall beside her head; effectively cutting off any escape routes. "Please listen." he whispered hoarsely as he pressed his head against Kagome's upper back.

"Ok." Kagome quietly said after a moment.

"Thank you."

The car ride to Kagome's home was painfully silent, their minds occupied on what would be said and what would happen to their relationship going forward. Both found themselves preying that the drive to her house would be long and they could have more time to gather their thoughts but, inevitably, they arrived.

Sesshomaru waited patiently for Kagome to unlock the door and were greeted by Dog's cheerful bark as he came scampering around the corner. Smiling, Sesshomaru crouched to scratch Dog's chin, Dog allowing it until he decided that Sesshomaru's hand would be perfect for his teething purposes. Kagome couldn't help the warm smile that spread across her face at the sight of Sesshomaru attempting to "teach" the puppy that his hand was not a chew toy only to fail spectacularly when Dog made a lunge for it again.

A few minutes later, a nervous Kagome entered the living room with their tea and took a seat in the chair opposite the couch where Sesshomaru sat. Aside from the mumbled thank you, the room fell silent.

All week since they had returned from their hiking trip Sesshomaru had relentlessly hunted Kagome down, confident that if he could speak to her about how he felt that she would understand him. Now that he had her there with him, though, he couldn't find the words to express himself. How does one explain such an all-encompassing emotion as the one he feels toward her?

"Sesshomaru-" "Kagome-" They both spoke at once.

"You first." Kagome said, "You have been trying to all week after all."

"Thank you." He said before sighing and rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "Though, I can't think of a way to explain my actions. I've always been so good with words too…"

"Lawyers…" Kagome muttered irked under her breath knowing that he heard her regardless.

"It's just… I can't…"

"Should I slip into something more comfortable? This seems like it will take a while." Kagome said trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Wait. Just give me a minute." He said as he got up to start pacing the room. "I've never been one to become attached to things, you know this better than anyone else, and I've never really had to work hard at something; it just comes naturally."

" _This_ is how you're going to start explaining?"

"Women have always thrown themselves at me." Sesshomaru continued, choosing to ignore Kagome's comment for the moment. "I have a nice apartment, a good car, a rewarding career, and a few friends I would consider close.

"I never thought that I lacked in anything and am grateful that I had such privilege. A few weeks ago when Kagura broke up with me I felt nothing just as I hadn't for any who came before her. To me, our parting felt the same as when I lose a pen; inconvenient for a moment until I get a new one. Our relationship was superficial and shallow… all my relationships have been."

"I don't see how this connects back to the current situation." Kagome said confused.

"My father told me that I lacked a passion for life and the people in it. That that was the reason people always left me or thought me to be unapproachable." Sesshomaru paused in his pacing to look at his best friend, his eyes serious and searching. "He was wrong, of course."

"What do you mean?" Sesshomaru continued to watch her for a moment before sprawling himself across the couch; Dog gleefully jumping up on his stomach with a stuffed animal to play with.

"Do you remember the time we went to that amusement park and rode the rides until we had to be ushered out? What about the feeling of excitement and the thrill of the rides that kept us from leaving?"

"I do." Kagome smiled fondly at the memory, specifically the knots that had formed in Sesshomaru's hair that she spent hours brushing out.

"How about the awe and wonder we felt when I tracked you down in northern Canada photographing the starry sky and the northern lights appeared?" Kagome nodded in affirmation. "What about the warmth and joy you get whenever we spend an evening at your mom's house with everyone or your pride when someone can relate to one of your photographs? The overwhelming hormonal lust and desire from when we were in middle school and going through puberty?"

"I remember." Kagome said with a light blush.

"Then you also recall the feeling of fear and desperation when your father passed away?" Though she was silent, her eyes were sad in the remembrance.

"This is how I feel whenever I am with you, Kagome." Her head snapped up at his words and she was astonished by the expression in his eyes, they gripped her and her hand itched to take a photo. She had never seen such depth directed towards her before. "I'm so nervous and excited I don't know whether I'm going to be sick or die of anticipation. My heart races when you say my name and my stomach is constantly aflutter each time you smile. I find myself laughing and smiling without realizing it and whenever I speak with you my chest warms. I am so proud and attracted to everything that makes you _you_ from your chipped nail polish to the chocolate binges you have whenever we watch a sad movie."

"Hey now…" Kagome said warningly.

"But I am terrified, Kagome." Sesshomaru said shakily, his voice allowing some of his fear to enter it. "I am in awe of you, so much that I am almost afraid that my touch would tarnish or break you."

"Sesshomaru you wouldn't-"

"I can't let you go though." He said, his voice wet, as he covered his face with an arm, Dog nudging it hesitantly with his nose. "So many people have left me, so so many. I can't lose you too, Kagome. My life is so empty without you there. I cannot even begin to describe the pain and jealousy I felt toward Koga. Watching you smile for him, embrace him, kiss him…"

"Sesshomaru." Kagome whispered sadly. She had no idea that her actions were felt so strongly by him or that he cared so much.

"I love you so much, Kagome. So much that I am scared and elated at the same time." Warm hands wrapped around his arm to pull it from in front of his face. Kagome smiled down at him from where she knelt by his head. His eyes were red and streaks of tears had run down the side of his face and into his hair. "I love you, Kagome." Leaning over, Kagome kissed his brow.

"Thank you for being honest with me, Sesshomaru." Kagome said softly, still holding his hand in hers. "I care for you a great deal as well."

"So does this mean-" Sesshomaru said suddenly sitting up.

"But like you I'm terrified." Kagome cut him off and began to play with their fingers nervously. "There are so many what ifs and I can't lose you either, Sesshomaru. There is no way of knowing what will happen if we continue down this road and I refuse to take any risks involving you. Absolutely not."

"Kagome, I'm willing to risk anything if it means you will always be with me."

"I'll always be with you if we stay as friends, Sesshomaru."

"But you won't!" Sesshomaru countered, "You will find someone else and start a family with them. You would be so happy, Kagome; you can be happy no matter what life throws at you. But I would die each day seeing the happiness I wanted with you. We couldn't be the same, Kagome. I couldn't."

"It would be so easy." Kagome whispered as she brushed a stray hair from his face. "So easy to fall in love with you." Sesshomaru caught her hand against his cheek and leaned forward so their foreheads were touching.

"Fall for me, Kagome." He whispered back, " _Please_."

"It'll be our greatest adventure yet." She quipped, eyes shining with affection even as tears of joy and trepidation escaped down her cheek.

* * *

Each year millions travel to see the seven wonders of the world; manmade or natural. One town, however, had formed a small citizen's council in response to the eighth. It had been innocent at first but soon became a necessity for public safety. Coincidentally, it was made up of quite a few familiar faces. Miroku, unsurprisingly was the founder of the organization fondly known as PAKS or Protection Against Kagome and Sesshomaru. Though Kagome and Sesshomaru's relationship was widely celebrated and their privacy frequently invaded by curious citizens, their arguments were legendary. They may have been destructive when they were friends but their fights were cataclysmic as a couple. It only took them destroying Miroku's shop once before he started the council to mitigate or prevent the disasters the two left in their wake.

Of course the organization had deep roots in the community as well. The people surrounding Kagome and Sesshomaru were quickly recruited; namely Kohaku, Sango, and their families. Kagome's mother was so happy that her daughter had such caring friends, believing that the espionage aspect was thrilling. Miroku almost felt bad for tricking her. Until he remembered the fifth time he had to repair a gaping hole in his wall. Though the two did pay for the damages, Miroku had to wonder just where all the money was coming from.

In addition to the people closest to them, a hotline to a red phone in Miroku's café had been set up for the general public to call. As many of their fights eventually led to Miroku's, he was given the honor of having the phone. He always felt a chill rush down his spine when it would ring having to force himself to come to terms with the disaster that would soon strike.

So when the phone began to ring that morning, it was with great reluctance that he answered.

"This is Miroku."

"It's a code black, Miroku!" Kohaku practically screamed into the receiver, "I repeat, a code black!"

"What did Kagome do this time?" Miroku paled, code black was only used in the worst of situations and were usually the result of Kagome doing something stupid.

"It seems she left-"

"You left the country again without letting me know or bringing anyone with you!" Sesshomaru yelled into his phone as he stormed through Miroku's front door; the door opening so hard that the knob left a dent in the wall and knocked the door off its hinges. A tick formed on Miroku's brow even as he made to prepare Sesshomaru's usual code black order: spiced rum. "Of course I wouldn't let you!" Sesshomaru paused to listen to his irate girlfriend try to persuade him. "I don't care if the Isle of Skye has real fairies; you need to tell me if you decide to run off to Scotland." Sesshomaru took a long pull from his drink before he suddenly started choking. "You will not go to Myanmar when you are finished in Scotland, Kagome! You are returning home. When I finish up my case load for this month, I'll get time off so we can go together." Downing the rest of his drink he rose to leave. "Wait, don't hang up on me, Kagome!" he paused, "Kagome. Kagome? Damn!" Sesshomaru exclaimed as he shattered the tumbler against the counter.

"So I take it Kagome took off again?" Miroku asked conversationally, broom and dust pan already in hand. Sesshomaru glared fiercely at the self-acclaimed monk. "Right…touchy subject."

Turning back to his phone, Sesshomaru punched in a combination of familiar numbers and waited for the person on the other line to answer.

"Hello?" a voice inquired calmly.

"Kohaku, it's Sesshomaru."

"Ehhh!" Kohaku exclaimed surprised that his boss knew his private number despite having worked for Sesshomaru for several years having gotten a job after his internship had been completed. "What can I do for you?"

"You will inform the office that I will be taking a week's leave."

"But sir, you have a number of high profile cases! Who is going to end up with all them?"

"Who do you think?" Sesshomaru replied, his voice relaying his annoyance. "Don't lose any of them, Kohaku. I'll kill you."

"Sess-" Sesshomaru ended the call, quickly cutting Kohaku's complaint off. Leaving a pile of crumpled bills on the counter, Sesshomaru made for the door.

"Taking a little vacation?" Miroku hedged hoping that he kept his relief out of his voice.

"She is so dead when I find her." Sesshomaru muttered as the door swayed on its last hinge behind him.

"I can't take much more of this." Miroku sighed exhausted.

"It wasn't that bad." One of the regulars said taking a sip of his coffee. "At least Sesshomaru didn't destroy anything really; Kagome's the violent one of the pair."

"I suppose," Miroku agreed, "but Sesshomaru is terrifying when angry."

"Didn't someone bet that Kagome would run off sometime soon?" Another regular asked as she took a bite of her cake.

"Hmm, I think your right." Another woman said from beside her. "They should be getting quite the pay off."

"I can't believe you people are still placing bets." Miroku murmured as he massaged his temples tiredly.

"What are you talking about?" someone else laughed, "You're the administrator for the betting pool."

"So I am." Miroku laughed dryly.

Across town, Sesshomaru was pulling into the driveway of the home he now shared with Kagome. Walking to the door, he was happy to hear Dog's excited barking. After thoroughly petting and brushing Dog, Sesshomaru began to wander through the house. He liked seeing what few things he had mixed among Kagome's clutter. It was a comforting sight to come home to. Entering their bedroom, Sesshomaru smiled down at the young woman napping in their large bed. Sneaking into bed himself, Sesshomaru snuggled up to Kagome and wrapped his arms around her to bring her even closer.

Kagome stirred slightly, Sesshomaru's slightly cooler skin waking her. He smiled amused at Kagome's effort to fight off the sleep; her heavy lids parting ever so slightly only to fall closed as sleep pulled at her. Deciding to be generous, Sesshomaru took one of her fingers and began to lightly nibble on it.

"Ngh," Kagome moaned annoyed, "Sesshomaru, knock it off."

"You didn't greet me when I came home."

"So you decided to eat me?"

"There was no other choice." He replied seriously. "Sacrifices must be made to appease me."

"I refuse. Eat Dog or something." Kagome said as she burrowed under the covers and away from him.

"You know," Sesshomaru continued as he followed her under, "It's a code black right now."

"Oh dear," Kagome mumbled dryly, "Whatever shall we do?"

"Appease me." Sesshomaru whispered hotly in her ear.

"Not now." She said pushing his head away. "Too sleepy."

"How was Scotland?" He asked knowing that she had only just returned moments before him.

"Pleasant, my crew was surprisingly helpful."

"See what happens when you communicate."

"Don't be an ass, Sesshomaru."

"Anyway," he said hugging her close, "I'm glad your home."

"Me too."

A few hours later their nap was disturbed by a beast of the hairy sorts, Dog no longer allowing his owners to ignore him. His wet tongue laved at their faces and hands as he bounced on top of them.

"Fine," Sesshomaru eventually gave up, "I'll play with you." Satisfied, Dog bounded out of the room to retrieve one of his toys. Looking back at the warm bed Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his sleeping girlfriend _. If I had to wake up so does she_.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome's yell could be heard throughout the house as she chased after both him and Dog who had taken off with the bed sheets. As usual though, Kagome found herself wrapped up in the blankets, effectively immobilized with Dog and Sesshomaru both seated happily on her back. "If you bite Sesshomaru, I'll give you his food for a week, Dog!" Kagome bribed. Dog looked at Sesshomaru in curiosity, clearly not understanding a work Kagome had said but looking to his alpha for guidance.

"No." Sesshomaru stated firmly. At that, Dog laid down with his head on Sesshomaru's lap. "Good boy."

"Traitor." Kagome muttered. Sesshomaru smiled and planted a kiss on her cheek. A knock at the door drew both of their attention and sent Dog running for cover. Stretching as he stood, Sesshomaru made to answer the door; not caring how suspicious his girlfriend rolled up on the couch would look to the guest.

"Ah, Sango!" Sesshomaru said, opening the door wider to allow her in. "Come on in, Kagome's over there."

"Sango! Save me!" Kagome cried out from the couch. Unfortunately, Sesshomaru sat himself back down and Dog came out to greet Sango.

"Look Kagome," Sango said blushing furiously, "I know that Sesshomaru has some…animalistic tendencies but could you please keep them to the bedroom? I mean, this is the living room and anyone who passes by might see…"

"Wait!" Kagome exclaimed, "You think this is some sort of mating thing?"

"There are many people who enjoy bondage, Kagome. It's not something to be embarrassed about." Sango continued despite the furious blush that clearly said that _she_ was embarrassed. Kagome could only gape at the conclusions her friend was drawing. Craning her neck to look up at her boyfriend, she was horrified to see the roguish smirk on his face.

"Sesshomaru?" she inquired hesitantly.

"What interesting ideas your friend has, Ka-go-me."

"Sango, help me!" Kagome cried squirming even as Sesshomaru began to tie the knots tighter. Sango continued to watch, entranced; fanning herself with her hand.

"Any-anyway, Kagome. I just stopped by to drop off your winnings." Sango said as she scurried forward to place the money on the coffee table. "Though I don't think it's very fair that you two are placing bets and ensuring that you win by acting on them. Have a good day and welcome back!"

"Sango!" Kagome's eyes teared up as her final hope for salvation escaped. Swallowing thickly, she once again turned to look up at the looming predator above her.

"What did I ever do to deserve this?" She lamented.

"I didn't particularly like that phone call earlier." Sesshomaru said nipping at the back of her neck. "I don't want you out of my sight ever."

"I wasn't even in Scotland when I made that call. I was in the car headed back from the airport!"

"Doesn't matter, you weren't with me." He paused in his ministrations, "And what was all that talk about Bagan, Myanmar?"

"…"

"Kagome." He said warningly.

"Consider it an advance notice for next week?" She replied innocently, "They have some amazing temples."

"So you were planning on leaving so soon again?" Sesshomaru chuckled darkly from above her.

"About that appeasement…"

"I've got all week off, Love."

* * *

Everything was perfect; Sesshomaru had ensured that it would be. They, well he, had been preparing for this day for the last few months. The musicians and priestess had gathered and he had been told that preparations at the shrine had been completed. Even the weather was favorable, a partly cloudy sky keeping the air warm enough for an outdoor ceremony without the guests being overheated in their ceremonial dress. Yes, everything was in place just as he had planned. So that led to his main question.

Where was his bride?

She was over a half hour late to their meeting point where the procession to the temple would begin. Of course, he had planned for her to be late so she still had ten minutes until she was actually late, but he was still annoyed that even after the care he had put into this day she would up and disappear like this. When he got ahold of her…

Of course he wasn't concerned that she was getting cold feet. Rather, he figured that something had captured her interest and, like a child, she had wandered off. With a muttered, 'I'll be right back,' Sesshomaru began the hunt for his bride.

He was passing one of the more obscure trails on the way back to her dressing room when a small yellow flower caught his eye. Knowing that if it captured his attention Kagome must have been enthralled, he set off down the narrow wooded path. Sure enough, Kagome was crouched before a small pool of water, eyes shining in delight at the little fish swimming about. Rather than chancing her falling into the water in surprise should he call out to her, Sesshomaru simply scooped her up and began to head back to the procession.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome said shocked, "You surprised me, what are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that." He replied rolling his eyes, "Just what time do you think it is?"

"Umm."

"You were making us late."

"Sorry," She mumbled. A few moments later Kagome had a thought. "Hey Sesshomaru, do you want to move in with me?"

"I already live with you." He said raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Well, yes you do. But, you never asked," Kagome pointed out, "You just showed up with your stuff one day."

"I was showing my resolve."

"It was the day after you confessed to me."

"…I was showing my resolve." He paused then proceeded to answer her original question, "Yes, I would like to move in."

"Great!"

"This is a rather bizarre conversation to have before a wedding."

"Well, you didn't ask properly."

"Hn."

"Hey Sesshomaru."

"What now?"

"Thanks for loving me."

"Hn."

The procession was relieved when the two finally returned, having become quite worried that they would have a runaway bride on their hands despite how handsome the groom was. Relieved, they began the procession to the temple. Sesshomaru's hand clasped Kagome's as they began to climb the steps to her family shrine.

"I didn't mention it before," Sesshomaru whispered as he helped her over the step under the torii, careful not to touch the step or walk under the center of the torii. "But you look beautiful today, Kagome."

"Of course I do." She huffed. "It's my wedding day." Sesshomaru smiled, amused at the blush coloring her cheeks.

"Mhmm."

"Ok, now you just sound patronizing."

"Love you too."

"Jerk."

When they reached the shrine, they bowed solemnly while being purified by the priest. Sesshomaru smirked when he saw Kagome flinch in surprise when the water landed on her. He always used to tease her saying that she should have been the demon and he the priest when they were kids.

They then listened patiently while their marriage was announced to the deities; the priest asking for protection and blessings for the couple. When that was completed, the priestess then preformed a sacred dance.

Sesshomaru and Kagome were instructed to kneel while partaking in the exchange of nuptial cups. They drank from each cup three times and Kagome had to clench her fists to keep from clobbering her fiancé who was clearly amused that the rice wine was already getting to her. She had always been an extreme lightweight but didn't want to make a fool of herself at her own wedding by adjusting Sesshomaru's attitude…and face. They were then given the marriage vow and instructed to read it.

"We make this marriage vow respectfully before the Hachiman deity.

We, Kagome and Sesshomaru, are delighted to be able to make our vows on this great day, and to become husband and wife through the blessing of the Hachiman deity.

We swear before the Hachiman deity to love and respect each other forever and to strive to bring our family prosperity

Moreover, we swear never to veer from the true path of matrimony, and to work to share the divine grace of Hachiman deity by helping people and society."

Kagome and Sesshomaru then received the tamagushi offerings from the priest and approached the sanctuary's altar. Kneeling, they both prayed silently before placing the offerings on the altar so that the stem of the tamagushi faced the shrine. They then bowed twice before the altar, clapped twice, and bowed once more before rising.

The priest directed Sesshomaru to take Kagome's hand in his own and the rings were presented to the couple. When both rings were placed on their fingers Kagome's tear filled eyes met her husband's which shone with just as much happiness. His smile told her how precious she was to him and she practically melted.

While their families partook in the sharing of rice wine Sesshomaru gathered his bride into his arms and held her there tenderly as a single tear trailed down his cheek.

"I'm never going to let you go now." He spoke quietly for her ears only.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

"Dad, would you leave them alone already?" Inuyasha complained as his father began to talk about visiting Sesshomaru and Kagome later that afternoon. "I'm sure they've seen enough of your mug these past few weeks to last them a lifetime."

"Are you volunteering to take their place, Inuyasha?" Taisho inquired slyly.

"Nope, in fact, this afternoon seems like a great time for you to drop in unexpectedly." Inuyasha said as he slowly began to back away. He and Kikyo had been beating him off with a broom the last few years and they were finally getting some relief at his brother's expense. Not that Sesshomaru didn't deserve it. Inuyasha was still trying to get the image of creeping legs and slithery bodies out of his mind. Sesshomaru had somehow discovered what he had done back in grade school with the cat nip and had gotten his revenge. All he would tell anyone of the encounter was "four hours, dark shed, thousands of eyes watching him, hairy legs, forked tongues, and babies."

Sesshomaru had later told Kagome that he didn't mean for the spider eggs to hatch but that he didn't regret it happening either. If someone so much as mentioned a spider, shed, or snake Inuyasha would begin twitching and immediately require a long bath.

In all, Inuyasha didn't particularly care that he had sentenced his brother to an afternoon with his father. There were worse things after all… like an afternoon with Sesshomaru's mother. That was a truly horrifying prospect.

Taisho could barely contain his excitement. His coldhearted son had not only found happiness, but had begun to open up to more people. Sesshomaru had become increasingly approachable with Kagome by his side and Taisho couldn't be happier. Taisho laughed fondly when he recalled the time Sesshomaru and Kagome walked up to Miroku and handed him a pile of cash saying that they felt guilty scamming everyone for so long and bought everyone at the café dinner. They didn't, however, feel guilty for scamming them in the first place; believing that if the town was going to be placing bets on them they should be allowed to participate too. The two had scurried out quickly though so to not face Miroku's wrath when he realized that all their destructive fights were staged.

They had been married for a little over two years now and they still seemed to fall in love with each other each day. Evening strolls in the park and impromptu lunch dates were commonplace now. They were never far from each other, no more than an arm's length or a few strides at most. Taisho chalked up Sesshomaru's need to constantly be touching Kagome as another one of his animal characteristics. It seemed to calm him immensely to know that she was beside him, supporting him. Besides, from what he could tell, Kagome certainly didn't seem to mind.

Taisho was as quiet as possible as he used the spare key they gave him, to be used only in emergencies, to enter their home knowing that they preferred silence now a days. He had to be careful as he made his way through the living room, the floor littered with stuffed animals and toys, Dog nowhere in sight.

The walls were no longer adorned with photographs Kagome had taken of landscapes. Instead, the spaces were filled with the pictures of smiles and laughter Sesshomaru had taken over the years. He was quite apt with a camera when directed at people and not nature.

As Taisho passed through the kitchen he noticed that the countertops were clear of Kagome's clutter and her camera equipment was locked away in her office. The stovetop had covers on it and there was a gate resting against the wall beside the stairs. The fridge was clear of all magnets below the fridge's handle a few well-wishing cards having been clipped there.

Like the living room, the hallway leading to the bedrooms was covered in pictures Sesshomaru or someone else had taken of them. Spying the slightly ajar door to the left, Taisho poked his head into the room finding it vacant. His target was elsewhere then. Quietly, he eased the door shut and turned to the master bedroom.

Dog's head jerked up at when the intruder silently entered before settling down once again when he deemed Taisho as not being a threat. Without realizing it, tears began to gather in the great man's eyes. His son was wrapped protectively around his wife, his hand resting atop her own. It was there that the Taisho found the reason his target was not safely tucked away in his crib. Clutched close to her chest, was Kagome and Sesshomaru's son. His pudgy cheeks were relaxed as he slumbered in his mother and father's arms, his tuff of silver hair mussed spectacularly from the restless sleep he had no doubt been having before his parents retrieved him.

Their bedroom, like the living room and hall, was filled with pictures of the three of them. Their son laughing excitedly as he pet a giraffe at the zoo, him holding a curious shell he had collected and given to his mother when they went to the beach, Sesshomaru laughing with his son on his shoulders and Kagome holding his hand as Dog walked beside them at the park, and the three of them stargazing at the Tanabata festival. The home was filled with their love for their child, toys littering the floors and keeping anything dangerous out of reach.

Upon closer inspection, Taisho found that his grandson had a tight grip on both his parents' hands. Though they were hidden at the moment, Taisho had seen his grandchild's amber eyes lit with delight and a smile not unlike Kagome's stretched across his face. Their son was kind to a fault even at such a young age, making sure to share his toys and snacks with his grandfather and never fussing for his parents. He was even gentle with Dog, helping his mother or father brush or feed him regularly.

Yes, he thought, his son has accomplished what few are every able to; he found his passion in her and she found hers in him. Here in this world with their son and dog, they built a beautiful home together. One where they will continue to grow as individuals and together as a married couple. A home where their son and any future children will flourish and shine. A place for friends and family to gather and enjoy each other's company. They fashioned all this with their aspirations, dreams, courage, affection, fears, strength, and passion.

Their family and the home they created together is _their_ passion.

 **Sorry this is a little late, my brother and I were backpacking all last week in the Appalachians so I couldn't really write anything. Anyway, this was the last chapter for this story! I hope you all enjoyed it.**


End file.
